Iowa Hawkeyes Women's Basketball Aims for Final Four Return

No. 2 seed Iowa has a favorable path to the Sweet 16 and potential showdown with No. 3 TCU

Mar. 16, 2026 at 1:13am

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The Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team, led by second-year head coach Jan Jensen, earned a No. 2 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament after a 26-6 regular season. Iowa has a history of success in March Madness, though a national championship continues to elude them. The Hawkeyes are expected to cruise through the first two rounds, hosting games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, before a potential Sweet 16 matchup against Big 12 foe TCU. The biggest challenge for Iowa would be a potential Elite Eight showdown with No. 1 seed South Carolina, one of the top teams in women's basketball.

Why it matters

Iowa is looking to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2022, when they fell just short of the national championship game. The Hawkeyes have proven they can compete with the best teams in the country, but need to break through and win a national title to cement their status as an elite program. This NCAA Tournament run is a chance for Iowa to solidify its place among the top women's basketball teams in the nation.

The details

Iowa earned a No. 2 seed after a 26-6 regular season, led by second-year head coach Jan Jensen. The Hawkeyes are expected to easily handle No. 15 seed Fairleigh Dickinson and either No. 7 Georgia or the winner of the play-in game between No. 10 Virginia and Arizona State. A potential Sweet 16 matchup against No. 3 seed TCU, who finished 29-5 on the season, would be a tough test for Iowa. But the Hawkeyes' biggest challenge would likely come in the Elite Eight, where they could face No. 1 seed South Carolina, who finished the year 31-3 and is one of the top teams in women's basketball.

  • The NCAA Tournament bracket was announced on March 16, 2026.
  • Iowa will host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The players

Jan Jensen

The second-year head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team.

Caitlin Clark

The former star player for the Iowa Hawkeyes who departed the program after last season.

Kylie Feuerbach

A key player for the Iowa Hawkeyes this season.

South Carolina

The No. 1 seed in Iowa's region of the NCAA Tournament, led by one of the top women's basketball programs in the country.

TCU

The No. 3 seed in Iowa's region, a tough Big 12 opponent the Hawkeyes could face in the Sweet 16.

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What they’re saying

“We're officially a host site for the NCAA First & Second Rounds.”

— Iowa Women's Basketball, Team Twitter Account (Twitter)

“Hearing our name called never gets old 🤩”

— Iowa Women's Basketball, Team Twitter Account (Twitter)

What’s next

If Iowa advances past the first two rounds, they would play in the Sweet 16 in Sacramento, California, with a potential matchup against TCU. The winner of that game would advance to the Elite Eight, where they could face No. 1 seed South Carolina for a spot in the Final Four.

The takeaway

Iowa has a favorable path to the Sweet 16 as a No. 2 seed, but will face a major challenge if they reach the Elite Eight and a potential showdown with powerhouse South Carolina. The Hawkeyes have the talent and experience to make a deep NCAA Tournament run and return to the Final Four, but will need to get past some tough opponents to achieve that goal.